MIAMI – One poor inning has been the main storyline throughout the 2023 season for Miami Marlins right-handed pitcher Sandy Alcantara and that hair-pulling trend continued in a 11-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays (81-52) Tuesday night in front of 10,338 at loanDepot park.
Trying to climb back into the final National League Wild Card spot, the Marlins (66-66) got all of their offense off the bat of Jazz Chisholm Jr., who put his team out in front, 1-0, in the bottom of the first and drove an Aaron Civale pitch 412-feet into the right-field seats for a 2-1 lead in the third.
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The sixth inning, however, crumbled for Alcantara and his team’s defense.
Miscommunication from Luis Arraez and Jorge Soler on a routine fly ball from Brandon Lowe resulted in a leadoff double.
Isaac Paredes drove home Lowe with a soft-hit single over the head of Jon Berti to tie the score at two.
You can sense Alcantara’s frustration after the play concluded.
The Rays turned a three-run sixth and a four-run seventh into a six-run deficit for Skip Schumaker’s bunch.
Different Sandy- The previous time Alcantara faced Tampa Bay this season, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner tossed a 97-pitch complete game on the road.
Struggles against Rays continue- Despite just a 1-2 mark against Kevin Cash’s club in 2023, the Marlins’ offense has been fairly overmatched compared to the Rays’.
Next- In what has been a month to forget, left-hander Jesús Luzardo will take the ball for the Marlins in the season finale of the always-entertaining Citrus Series. Tampa Bay will turn to Zach Eflin, who took the loss July 26 against these same Marlins. Expect a first pitch of 6:40 p.m. ET from loanDepot park.